


Calm Before The Storm

by nanuk_dain



Series: Drift Compatible [47]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Chuck and Raleigh bickering, Father-Son Relationship, M/M, PBC (Post-Breach-Collapse), PPDC development, Post-Movie, Team Hot Dads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 12:12:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14832047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanuk_dain/pseuds/nanuk_dain
Summary: Herc worries about all the stuff going on, everything from Chuck and Raleigh to the future of the PPDC and that damn promotional tour.





	Calm Before The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry it took me ages to get this posted! I'm currently in New Zealand for five months to write my Master's thesis, so I've been incredibly busy. Since I had a day off today and my Muse came to visit, I decided to finish this fic which I had halfway written for months now. Oh, and there's a lot more coming in the future, I've got over 13.000 words written already and a lot more planned. This story isn't over yet! 
> 
> Btw, is there anybody who wants too meet up for coffee while I'm in NZ? Let me know! :D

_Hong Kong Shatterdome, January 31st 2025_

 

"I still hate the idea." Chuck grumbles into his cup of coffee. The usual hustle and bustle of the mess hall at breakfast time nearly drowns out his words. 

Raleigh is sitting next to him, already on his second cup of coffee and the food on his plate is almost gone. Herc is pleased to notice that he looks better than he did a few days ago. It's probably a mixture of being out of the med bay, slowly getting off the strong meds and being allowed to eat real food again. He's most certainly making use of the opportunity, he's eating like he's famished.

But then again, maybe what really makes the difference is that successful drift test that he and Chuck absolved a few days ago. While it did show some further neural damage in Raleigh's brain - Herc would have been very surprised if it hadn't - at least it seems certain that it's nothing that'll impact noticeably on his ability to drift or pilot a Jaeger, according to Caitlin. And as long as it's Chuck he's drifting with, there seem to be no negative impact at all due to them being a perfect match. 

Herc considers that a very good sign. He can imagine very well how the possibility of losing the drift must have weighed on Raleigh. He knows the feeling from the other end, after all, with Stacker not being able to drift for almost a decade. They still don't know how it'll go on in that respect, but at least Stacker is out of the med bay. Herc is still officially serving as the PPDC Marshal, although he's sharing the responsibilities with Stacker. While it's true that Stacker is recovering reasonably well, he's still far from being back on his feet. He needs frequent breaks to rest and nap, and Caitlin made it very clear to him that if he ignored his body's demands, he'd pay for it later. For once, Stacker is actually listening. That alone tells Herc how far Stacker is from being okay.

"You don't have to like the idea, Chuck, you just have to do it. Preferably without offending the public." Herc replies from the other side of the table, ignoring his eggs and beacon for a moment so that he can throw Chuck a suitably chiding glance. It's slightly distracting that Chuck is wearing one of Raleigh's trademark navy jumpers again. Herc can't help wondering if they - unwittingly or not - switched dog tags again. "You know that we desperately need the publicity _and_ the money."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Chuck is still mumbling into his mug. Herc isn't quite sure whether it's because he loves his coffee so much or because he's just not entirely awake yet. "'World Victory Tour' - who came up with that crappy name, anyway?"

"The PR guys, as you very well know." Herc rolls his eyes at stating the obvious. This entire damn tour is a brainchild of the PR guys, of course they're the ones who picked its name. Herc thinks that 'World Victory Tour' is a bit over the top, but after listening to Amanda James' explanation - complete with psychological studies to back it up - he and Stacker had agreed to it. It's true that the name manages to make everybody feel addressed and included, and it also transports a sense of triumph over the Kaiju without naming them, which in turn would have created negative connotations - again, Amanda had proof for that in the form of studies. She's always well prepared, Herc will admit that. And she's very convincing. He's infinitely glad she's on their side instead of the UN's.

"They think they're geniuses, those damn PR guys, don't they?" Chuck doesn't bother hiding his misgivings. Herc watches Raleigh hide a smirk behind his coffee cup - obviously it's not the first time Chuck has complained about this particular topic. Herc is gleefully relieved that now it's Raleigh who gets to enjoy Chuck's rather aggressive whining instead of him.

"Come on, now, it's not like you're the only one who hates being paraded around like a trophy." Herc can't help his own contempt at the idea showing in his voice. "Stacker and I are no more a fan of this tour than you are." 

"But you're still going through with it." Chuck sounds like a petulant child, and the smirk that's slowly turning into a grin on Raleigh's face tells Herc that he's not the only one who noticed. When Herc rolls his eyes, Raleigh just chuckles but wisely doesn't get involved.

"Of course we are. It's a necessary evil and we can't elude it any more than you can." Herc tries to be patient and not to rise to the obvious bait. His relationship with Chuck has improved quite a lot since Pitfall and he's not willing to undermine their efforts because Chuck is determined to sulk and whine. "You agreed to it, so stop complaining and deal with it. None of us is actually enjoying this damn tour."

Chuck looks up behind his mug with an arched eyebrow. "The Weis seem to be looking forward to it."

Herc can't help a snort before he follows Chuck's example and mumbles into his own mug. "Of course they are."

Oh, they're going to be a pest, the Wei Tang brothers, Herc just knows it. He's sure their love of pranks is going to come out full force during the tour when they have ample opportunity to live out their mischief. And everybody, from crew to pilots to the press, is going to be the target. Herc is glad that for once in his life he can actually tell the brothers apart due to the fact that they have their casts on different limbs. Pity that in the course of the tour, they'll get rid of their casts.

At first it was planned that they wouldn't even be part of the tour, because Cheung is still in a reasonably bad condition. He's healing all right, but it has only been just over three weeks and he's still not able to walk due to his injuries. The same goes for Hu with his left arm and leg still broken, they'll be in casts for at least another three weeks. Only Jin is halfway mobile, hopping around on his crutches with astonishing speed. 

When Herc told them they were to stay in the Shatterdome to heal, they protested rather forcefully - including Cheung. Herc listened and had to admit that their arguments were rather good. One, they were part of the whole thing, so they had earned the right to be along for the ride. Two, they were quite popular with the young people, especially in the Asian parts of the Pan Pacific countries, and would attract a lot of attention - which was exactly what the PPDC needed. Three, if the goal of the tour was to show the world what the PPDC had achieved and to get the public to not only support and side with the PPDC, but donate as well, it would help to show them at what cost the closure of the Breach had come. It didn't really matter that Herc reminded them that their injuries didn't come from Operation Pitfall, the brothers completely ignored that point. Instead, they insisted that seeing them, their injuries as well as their unbroken will to continue fighting, would appeal to the public and open wallets much faster than any speech. 

Amanda James, who stood next to Herc in Cheung's med bay room during that specific conversation (how the heck had they managed to get her in there, anyway?), listened carefully before agreeing that the brothers had a point. Of course Herc saw it too, that didn't mean he was fond of the idea of dragging three reasonably badly injured pilots around the globe to promote the PPDC. He'd lost against the combined forces of the three brothers and Amanda, though, so now the Weis are coming on the tour, and the past few days have been used to organise the whole thing. Travelling with two wheelchair-bound pilots requires some additional planning, but Amanda pulled it off without a hitch. She loves the Weis' idea and thinks that it will be very beneficial for the publicity of the PPDC. _And_ their finances.

A lot has changed in the three weeks since the closure of the Breach. Besides the organisation of the World Victory Tour, preparations are running at full speed to reopen the Proving Grounds on Kodiak Island and re-establish the Jaeger Academy. A few days ago they've begun moving the equipment and establishing all the necessary connections to begin with the design and the construction of the Civilian Explorers as well as the Mark VI series. Mako, as the head of development, has enlisted the help of some former - and now rehired - top engineers to get together the best and brightest minds in the field to form the teams working on the Civilian Explorers and the Mark VI. Herc is impressed with her ease at leading men and women more than twice her age and with more years of work experience under their belt than she has even been alive. They seem to appreciate her respectful but firm attitude as well as her achievements as an engineer and a Ranger. It's looking good, and that's something Herc likes to hear. Good news are always welcome.

In fact, it's amazing how many countries immediately agreed to support the efforts of the PPDC. Many offered to have any remaining material of abandoned Jaeger constructions shipped to Kodiak Island, along with professional help from experts who'd been withdrawn when the UN shut down the Jaeger Program. Herc has a feeling that although many independent experts have confirmed the closure of the Breach by now, people still don't quite trust the newfound peace. Too long have they lived with the threat, and word of the likeliness of a new Breach opening at some point spread quickly. Nobody wants to be unprepared, and it's no secret that right now, there's no defence left standing. Time is of the essence, everybody agrees on that. It feels a bit like the very beginning of the Kaiju War, just that now they know what they're doing instead of shooting blind.

While the pilots are cruising the world during the Victory tour, the science and engineering sections will get the Proving Grounds running while Tendo will take care of the organisation necessary to reopen the Academy. It's part of the reason why he, Newt, Dr. Gottlieb and Caitlin will only be present at a few select events that Amanda James chose with great care to ensure the biggest effect. Most of the pilots are scheduled to head straight to Kodiak Island once the promotional tour is finished to take over their new responsibilities as instructors and test pilots. Herc wishes he could avoid the tour by citing more urgent duties like the Proving Grounds and the Academy, but Amanda James made it clear to him that he and Stacker as two of the main participants in the closure of the Breach are absolutely vital to the success of the tour. She also made it clear that they're participating, whether they want to or not. She won't have the future of the PPDC put at risk because they don't like being the focal point of the media's attention. 

Tomorrow will be the first day of said tour. Of course it'll start off here in Hong Kong, which was - and for now still is - the PPDC headquarters and therefore the point of origin. They're basically going to all the places that experienced the consequences of the Breach opening in the Pacific. All the cities which held Shatterdomes are on the list as well as all cities hit by a Kaiju attack. Their general route will lead them from Hong Kong to Tokyo, then on to Vladivostok and afterwards across the Pacific to Anchorage. They'll follow the coastline down to Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles before continuing their journey in South America, stopping in Acapulco, Panama City and Lima. They'll cross the Pacific again and pass through New Zealand and then head on to Australia, where they'll pay visits to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The way back to Hong Kong will see them follow the basic route of Papua New Guinea to Kuching, Bangkok and Manila. 

Herc can't remember all their stops, but he knows he's going to be a wreck at the end of this show. The tour is set to take about six weeks, and that means that they're on a _very_ tight schedule with a lot of promotional events, interviews and appearances in the local and national media crammed into a very short timeframe. Herc never liked the press much, and just thinking about the next month and a half makes him like it even less. 

Most countries on their list are astonishingly forthcoming with help and support organising the tour. In most places the PPDC doesn't even have to pay for food and accommodation because their hosts wouldn't let them pay, citing that it is an honour to welcome the "defenders of the world". It's only part of the reason, Herc is well aware of that. What is really behind the hospitality is that governments and city officials are not only hoping for it to boost morale, but also the economy of the concerned regions. They're well aware that hosting one of the World Victory Tour stops will attract a lot of people from all over the country and even from abroad, and that's a promising prospect for all kinds of industries, not just tourism. Not to mention that it looks good on your track record to have welcomed the "Heroes of the Kaiju War", as the press has begun to call the PPDC. Herc always cringes at the name. It makes him feel like a goddamn action figure.

There are even offers to reopen some of the Shatterdomes that have been closed but are still standing. Herc and Stacker had to stifle the enthusiasm a bit because for now, the PPDC does neither have the people to staff those Shatterdomes, nor the resources to actually hire the necessary personnel. They're taking it into consideration, though, the offers are too good to be ignored. They have to think long-term, after all. They'll need bases all over the world to launch Jaegers from because there's no telling where the next Breach might pop up. Herc desperately hopes it won't be in the Atlantic, because there's absolutely no protection system in place for that region. They'll also need places to maintain, station and sell the Civilian Explorers from, and although they'll be smaller in size than the Jaegers, a Shatterdome holds all the necessary infrastructure to house them.

Herc watches Chuck sip away on his coffee and tries to suppress a sigh. They really do need the money - desperately. In order to get the Proving Grounds and the Academy going, the PPDC needs to hire tons of people, and those people have to be paid. Not to mention the cost for the development and construction of the Mark VI Jaegers. At least the Civilian Explores - Herc still refuses to use the by now widely popular nickname 'Civvies' - will be self-sufficient considering that the clients interested in the mechas will pay handsomely for them. Of course for now the PPDC is operating on debts, but those will be paid off quickly once they can start selling their invention. And there's no shortage of interest, Mako let him know that they have already numerous potential clients who've expressed the intent to purchase a Civilian Explorer once the system is up and running. One thing they don't have to worry about, at least. 

There is also plenty of interest in the shortly reopening academy. Applications have already started coming in, although not even the administrative side of things is up and running. There's a mixture of Ranger applicants and requests for training pilots for the Civilian Explorers, the latter mostly from companies and governments. It seems that the closure of the Breach has sparked a renewed interest in Jaegers after the sharp decline in the past year. Herc guesses a good deal of it is the fame and admiration the pilots are receiving now that the job is done. He's sure they'll have to carefully sort through the wave of Ranger applicants to filter out the few real candidates. 

The Victory Tour will bring them even more applications, especially since Amanda James insists that they use it to recruit whenever there's an opportunity. The PPDC needs Rangers and right now there's a serious shortage - they're down to exactly ten, most of which are not combat ready at the moment and won't be for quite a while. Furthermore, it takes time to turn a candidate into a proper Ranger, they all know that, and in order to be able to do that they'll need the top one percent of applicants who're not only strong enough to make it, but also have drift compatibility with another candidate. That was always the biggest problem with establishing Ranger teams, and that won't have changed. 

The Kaidonovskys, the Wei Tang brothers and Chuck and Raleigh have already agreed to serve not only as test pilots, but as instructors as well. It's a relief to know them all on board, because there aren't exactly many people left who're able to teach the recruits beyond the physical stage of the training. Drifting is a subject that can only really be explained and taught by somebody who has experienced it, and fact is that most people in that category are dead.

Herc thinks it will also act as a great incentive for the Ranger candidates to see a perfect match in action. He's already planning to have the Kaidonovskys and Chuck and Raleigh do kwoon trials to demonstrate the level of skill that can be achieved in the art of piloting. Herc still remembers how awed he was when he first witnessed Sasha and Aleksis fight in the kwoon, and he intends to use that effect on the future candidates. Those two are especially impressive because everybody assumes that Aleksis would win easily simply due to his physical superiority, and it never fails to astonish how that is completely not the case.

As far as the many other jobs in the Academy are concerned, most of the former personnel of the Academy have agreed to return to their position. Many have even already signed the contracts and Herc is more than relieved to have experienced people running the joint, people that don't need any explanation on how to do their job. It'll make things a lot easier, especially at the beginning. They've got enough on their plate that he's welcoming every aspect that he doesn't need to worry about.

"Earth to Ranger Hansen. Do you copy?"

Herc's head snaps up from where he's been sipping his by now cold coffee, completely lost in thoughts. Chuck is smirking at him, one eyebrow raised. He's obviously been trying to get Herc's attention for a while now.

"Sorry." Herc puts down his mug and passes a hand over his face in a wary gesture. 

"Let me guess: You're trying to solve all the PPDC's problems at once and it's proving a little difficult." The dry amusement is plain in Chuck's voice, but it's not scathing, more teasing. 

"Something like that." Herc allows his smirk to show. He still hasn't quite got used to the fact that Chuck has - mostly - stopped provoking him at every corner. It's still unsettling, though, because Herc is waiting for it to suddenly change and blow up in his face. Chuck has always been volatile, even as a child. He may be more mature now, but his personality hasn't changed - he's going to blow at some point, and Herc is almost anxiously waiting for it. He doesn't quite dare to trust the current peace. Raleigh is still completely relaxed in his chair, though, and Herc takes that as a sign that Chuck is not even remotely close to exploding now. It's quite helpful that Raleigh serves as a kind of Chuck-o-metre concerning his moods.

"You worry too much." Chuck gestures with his mug - Herc is surprised to see that it's almost full, he must have gotten a refill without Herc noticing - at the general direction of the mess hall. Maybe it's meant to include the entire Shatterdome or even the world, Herc can't quite tell. "You're not alone in this, you know. You've actually got highly motivated and qualified people handling stuff, so stop brooding about things that aren't your immediate responsibility. You'll get an ulcer."

Herc can't help snorting at that. It would indeed be the height of irony for him to die of an ulcer while he managed to survive countless Kaiju-encounters. 

"And things are going well right now, aren't they?" Raleigh chips in. "Tendo told me that the move to Kodiak Island is actually ahead of schedule and that he's got some of the most important jobs for the administration for the Academy filled." 

"True, it's progressing better than expected." Herc nods slowly, contemplating getting fresh - and actually hot - coffee. The cold liquid slushing around in his mug is kind of disgusting by now. "But there are lots of unsolved issues on many fronts and this tour isn't helping us getting them solved."

Chuck leans back with a distinctly gleeful grin. "Necessary evil and such."

Raleigh not so subtly elbows him in the side. "Why don't you get us fresh coffee instead of being a jerk?"

Astonishingly enough, Chuck actually gets up and grabs Herc's and Raleigh's mugs, not without throwing Raleigh a nasty look, though. 

"Just this once". He says admonishingly before he turns and heads over to the bank of coffee machines. Herc stares after him and can't quite believe his eyes.

"What just happened?" He can't help asking and turns to look at Raleigh with a bemused frown.

Raleigh chuckles, obviously amused by the whole situation. "He's trying to be nice without making it obvious." 

"Uh." Herc replies not very eloquently and looks over to where Chuck is refilling their mugs. "I'm not sure I know how to handle this."

"I don't think he knows, either." Raleigh remarks, and there's a note in his voice that makes Herc look at him. Raleigh's smile has turned soft and his gaze is following Chuck before Raleigh turns to catch Herc's eyes. "It's a step in the right direction, though."

Herc nods and allows his little smile to show. "It is."

Herc watches Chuck walk over to their table, two steaming mugs of fresh, delicious coffee in his hands. It's good to see that he has almost entirely recovered from the consequences of Operation Pitfall. The only visible reminder of it is the bright white bandage that's still covering his right arm, now in stark contrast to the dark blue fabric of the rolled up sleeves of his - well, _Raleigh's_ \- sweater. Herc knows from personal experience how painful circuitry burns are and how long they take to heal, so he's sure that the bandage will stay on for the World Victory Tour. Especially considering how severe Chuck's burns are, compared to the less serious burns on Raleigh's arm that aren't covered by a bandage anymore. 

Raleigh has other problems, though. He's still having issues with his left shoulder, but Caitlin informed Herc that his memory loss and orientation issues are slowly getting better. It seems that they are an adverse effect of the strong meds he was on, and now that he's almost eased off them their negative influences are decreasing. It's a relief to hear that, it was a sore topic for Raleigh and Chuck. 

"There." Chuck grumbles when he reaches the table, effectively pulling Herc out of his musings. He's impressed with how Chuck manages to put their coffees in front of them in an almost sulky manner without saying more than that one word.

"You're a doll." Raleigh smirks at him, but Herc can tell that there's genuine gratitude underneath the teasing edge. 

Chuck glares at him while he's reaching for his own, still mostly full mug. "You had better appreciate that coffee."

Raleigh reaches for it and wraps his hands around the mug in a pointedly appreciative manner. "I definitely will."

Herc gives Chuck a quick nod in thanks when he lifts up his own coffee to take a sip. He's stunned to find it sweetened to his taste - Chuck must have remembered how Herc likes his coffee from their drifts. It's not like Chuck ever brought him coffee before, that scenario was completely out of the question since Chuck had turned into a moody teenager. Herc isn't sure how he feels about this little but somehow really important token of thoughtfulness from his son. He's oddly touched and a bit embarrassed to feel himself choking up. He clears his throat and decides to distract himself by asking, "You got any plans for today apart from that rehearsal?" 

At two o'clock this afternoon there will be a last rehearsal for tomorrow's big event. Amanda James planned the opening ceremony of the World Victory Tour with great attention to detail to ensure the biggest and most positive effect, so she insisted on a last rehearsal. They've all been instructed on their parts before, but this time it'll include all the participants, so Herc and Stacker have to be there too. Herc can come up with a whole row of things he'd rather do, but he knows there's no way to get out of this.

"Nah, we'll just pack up our room so that everything we're not taking with us will get shipped to Kodiak Island when the tour starts." Chuck replies easily, completely oblivious to what his special coffee preparation did to Herc.

"Pity, I've just gotten used to our quarters." Raleigh sounds a bit wistful.

"Yeah, me too. I hope we get nice ones on Kodiak Island."

Raleigh just snorts. "It's a Shatterdome, Chuck, which means that the quarters look just like here. Or in every other Shatterdome on this planet."

"True." Chuck agrees with an almost pensive nod. "I want quarters with a view."

"Ask Tendo. I'm sure he's very fond of getting special requests on top of everything else that's on his plate." Raleigh replies with an eyebrow raised in either challenge or mockery, Herc isn't quite sure. 

Chuck rises to the occasion immediately and turns to glare at Raleigh. "Maybe I will."

Raleigh smirks, clearly happy with that answer. "Awesome. I'll get to profit from it, too, after all."

Chuck snorts and then smiles at Raleigh with obvious fondness. "You're an idiot."

Raleigh grins outright. "Your idiot."

Chuck just chuckles and gently bumps his shoulder against Raleigh's. Herc can tell there's more to that little exchange than meets the eye, but he doesn't ask. First off, he's sure he won't get an answer anyway. But more than that he simply enjoys the easy banter between Chuck and Raleigh. He's rarely seen Chuck that comfortable with anybody since Angie died and Herc won't do anything to dampen the mood. Instead he just drinks his coffee and listens to them. He feels like it's a huge improvement that Chuck is this easy-going and relaxed while Herc is present. That certainly would never have happened a month ago.

When it's time to get to work, Herc stand and lifts his mug pointedly. "Thanks for the excellent coffee, Chuck. I'll see you boys later." 

It's kind of satisfying to see Chuck stare at him with a dumbfounded expression on his face, obviously at a loss for words, while Raleigh just looks pleased. Herc leaves the mess hall with a smile.

The day is as busy and hectic as Herc expected. Since it's the last day before the start of that damn promotional tour - he still doesn't like its name - there's a lot left to do and plenty of things to get organised before his time will be taken up by advertising the PPDC. Although Herc and Stacker will only be at select events, much like other participants who can't afford to be entirely away from their jobs for six weeks, the tour will still require more of his time than he's comfortable with. Herc tries to delegate his usual tasks as best as possible so that things will run smoothly even without him or Stacker present. 

He has just enough time to grab a quick lunch with Tendo and Mako before it's two o'clock and the rehearsal starts. At least they don't have to drive anywhere since the opening ceremony will take place in the now empty Jaeger bay. The press conference they held in the Jaeger bay after the closure of the Breach was a huge success and sparked a lot of interest in the structure, so Amanda wants to make use of the people's fascination. Especially since the general public never had access to a Jaeger bay before and she pointed out that this will attract even more attention - and people. The bay is also easily big enough to house the event and the quite impressive amount of guests that she has planned in as the life audience. All the tickets sold out within two hours of the sales opening, so it's going to be packed.

The rehearsal is long and boring, but Herc suffers through it in silence. As soon as they're done and Amanda is satisfied, Herc returns to work and is immediately swallowed up in a rather unpleasant meeting with representatives of the UN. They're still trying to get their claws in the success story, and Herc is still fighting them off while trying to not offend them outright. He _so_ hates politics. 

It's almost nine pm before Herc gets the opportunity to do what Chuck and Raleigh had planned for the day: Empty his room and pack whatever he wants sent to Kodiak Islands. Packing up his things doesn't take long. Herc doesn't own much to begin with - a common side effect of being a Ranger - and most of that has found its way into Stacker's quarters for quite some time now. It's not like he ever spent much time in the co-pilot quarters he formerly shared with Chuck - it was for sleeping and not much else. It's one of the reasons why Herc never bothered to officially change quarters after Chuck was matched with Raleigh and subsequently moved out. He was already living in Stacker's quarters - or his med bay room - anyway.

When Herc gets to Stacker's quarters, it's already half past nine and he feels exhausted. The first thing he does when he enters is to strip off his heavy boots and hang his jacket by the door. It immediately makes him feel more relaxed in the way these simple actions always do. He's not sure why, maybe because he only ever takes off his boots and walks around barefoot when he's in a place where he feels comfortable, something close to what he'd call 'home'. He's learned long ago that 'home' isn't actually a place, though, it's the people who mean everything to him.

The lights in the living room aren't off, but dimmed to a point that Herc knows that Stacker already went to bed. It tells Herc in no uncertain terms how much healing he still needs to do before he's back on his feet. Herc profoundly approves of Stacker listening to his body's needs for once, though. He's usually too stubborn to do that, but Herc thinks that the way things have progresses after Operation Pitfall and then during his coma made him realise that he can trust his people to get it right. That he doesn't need to do everything himself, that they've got his back. Herc is well aware that Stacker isn't the only one who learned that lesson the hard way, he himself also just understood it. What did Chuck say again at breakfast? Oh yes, that they have 'highly motivated and qualified people handling stuff'. Herc thinks of Mako, of Tendo, of Caitlin, of Amanda James, and he can't deny the truth in Chuck's words.

Herc pads barefoot into the bathroom, brushes his teeth and washed his face. He's pleased that he's become remarkably good at doing things either left or one-handed since it'll take another three weeks before he'll get rid of the cast on his right arm. The butterfly bandages covering the cut on the left side of his face will come off tomorrow before the opening ceremony. And while Herc is still exhausted most of the time, he's actually feeling a lot better since Stacker woke up. It's as if the lack of an active connection, the worry and the fear during Stacker's coma kept him from healing properly. It feels like his recovery sped up noticeably since Stacker first opened his eyes, touched Herc on his own accord and filled the ghost drift with thoughts and feelings where it had been quiet before. 

Herc closes his eyes for a moment and concentrates on the ghost drift, allowing the sensations coming from Stacker to roll over him more clearly than they do when he doesn't focus on them. Ever since Stacker woke from coma, Herc found himself doing it several times during the day to make sure that Stacker was still there. He won't admit it out loud, but he needs the reassurance that their connection offers. Not all scars that Operation Pitfall left are visible, after all.

Herc leaves the bathroom, switches off the lights all over their quarters and then enters the bedroom. He makes an effort to be quiet although he knows Stacker picked up on his presence, consciously or not. He strips down to his underwear and then slips underneath the sheets. Stacker reacts to his presence immediately and shifts closer to him until Herc is pressed along his back. Herc can tell that Stacker is still asleep, though, and wraps his arms around him before burying his nose against the back of Stacker's neck. He breathes in the scent of his perfect match and falls asleep within minutes, a little smile on his lips. 

Tomorrow might be the beginning of six weeks of stress and scrutiny, but right now, with Stacker's warm, sleepy body cuddled up against him, Herc's feeling pretty much perfect.


End file.
